The U.S. Department of Energy is funding research to get the cost of Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) down to $0.05 per kWh. One key element of that research is the materials used to absorb and store the heat energy. Three categories of materials are being looked at: liquid (i.e. molten salt), particle (like sand), and gaseous. NREL is leading the molten salt research, and there are multiple challenges. The salts can corrode the storage tanks and … [Read more...]
Wind, Solar: continuing cost declines will help meet rising renewables targets
The EC’s “Fit for 55” proposals include the raising of the EU’s 2030 target for total energy produced from renewable sources to 40%. Much of the rest of the world will likely raise its targets at some point too. Continuing to cut the cost of renewable energy generation will be essential to make that happen, and take pressure off all the other associated costs of supporting its integration into the energy system. Michael Taylor at IRENA summarises … [Read more...]
5 charts show the rapid fall in costs of renewable energy
Plenty in the energy sector already know about the impressive declines in renewable energy costs since 2010, particularly solar (down 82%), concentrated solar (47%), onshore (39%) and offshore wind (29%). For those of you putting together presentations to people whose buy-in you need - citizens, public officials, investors, customers, etc. - these graphics should come in useful. It looks like a tipping point is being reached, says Douglas Broom … [Read more...]
Analysis shows Wind and Solar costs will continue to fall dramatically throughout the 2020s
Michael Taylor at IRENA has summarised its latest studies that show how the cost of renewables are set to continue declining dramatically through to 2030. We all know how those costs declined in the last ten years. Going forward, the weighted average cost of electricity in the G20 countries from offshore wind could fall by almost 50% by 2030 from 2019 levels, onshore wind by around 45%, utility-scale solar PV by up to 55% and concentrated solar … [Read more...]
10,000 sq km of Solar in the Sahara could provide all the world’s energy needs
A little over 10 years ago David MacKay drew attention by saying “All the world’s power could be provided by a square 100km by 100km area in the Sahara.” Furthermore, MacKay’s calculation of the full potential of the region’s Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) totalled 25 times the TWh/year the world uses today. That was looking at the Middle East and North Africa’s (MENA) high solar irradiance, ample available land and the technologies of the day. … [Read more...]
PRESS RELEASE: Jose Luis Martinez Dalmau is elected as new President of ESTELA.
Mr. Jose Luis Martinez Dalmau was appointed unanimously as President by the ESTELA General Assembly for a 2-year term – 2019-2021 right after the announcement by Dr Crespo to retire. The newly mandated Executive Committee (ExCom) of ESTELA is composed of three Vice-Presidents – J. A. Nebrera (ACS Cobra), J. Sandhu (ENGIE), C. Prieto (Abengoa), and six Members – E. Absil (CMI Solar), R. GarcĂa (Protermosolar, the Spanish STE association), R. … [Read more...]
Flexible renewable power: Spain to triple solar thermal capacity by 2030
Sunny Southern Europe will become increasingly connected to its Central and Northern European neighbours with the ongoing development of cross border interconnectors. This is one of the crucial factors behind Spain’s decision to include an additional 5 GW capacity from STE/CSP plants in its Integrated National Energy and Climate plan (NECP). Complete with inherent storage capabilities, STE can provide flexible, dispatchable power supply at … [Read more...]
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